Education

• PhD, University of Kentucky
• MPH, West Virginia University
• MA, Purdue University
• BA, Purdue University

Academic interests

Dr. Maria Brann explores the integration of health, interpersonal, and gender communication. Her translational focus and mixed methods approach are woven throughout her health vulnerabilities research, which advocates for more effective communication to improve people’s health. Her primary research interests focus on the study of women’s and ethical issues in health communication contexts and promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors to improve personal and public health and safety. Theoretically, she researches communication at both the micro and macro levels and studies how communication influences relationships among individuals and with the social world. Methodologically, her research questions guide the specific data-gathering techniques employed and include interviews, focus group discussions, observations, and surveys.

Teaching

Health Communication, Nonverbal Communication, Family Communication, Relational Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Gender Communication, Qualitative Research Methods, Capstone